¡Bienvenido Kevincito!

Hello Ladies!!
A few weeks ago I had the amazing privilege of taking my son, Kevin, back to El Salvador, where we adopted him from.  Just a year and half ago, Kevin came home to us, to Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Kevin and I went to visit his grandfather and the children and staff at Love and Hope Children's Home.  Kevin resided at Love and Hope for the six years prior to being adopted into our family.  We have known Kevin for 8 years, he is now 11 years old.  He was a very sick child in El Salvador and was in great need of American medical care as well as a family to care for him and love him daily!

His Grandfather relinquished his guardianship of Kevin, making Kevin eligible to be adopted by our family.  Grandpa brought Kevin to Love and Hope Children's Home when Kevin was just 3 years old, seeking help for his sick grandson. Can you even imagine?  I cannot imagine nor will I ever come close to understanding the desperation that made Grandpa originally take him to Love and Hope, as well as say goodbye to Kevin so he could have a better life in the U.S.

I know here in the U.S., even with our daughter, Courteney, who is very medically fragile, I am empowered, enabled, and, most of the time, I am given the resources (programs, school, social work, equipment, home health nurses) that I need to care for her.  In a country like El Salvador, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Kevin and Rachel, the founder of Love and Hope
Children's Home, many years ago

Without Kevin's Grandfather taking Kevin to Love and Hope, Kevin would have never lived.  At Love and Hope he received meticulous care and love daily!  But, even with their best efforts, Kevin held steady at 14-18 pounds for six years there.  Despite being followed by many pediatric specialists, he remained sick and frail.

When we said goodbye to Grandpa a year and half ago, he asked that we bring Kevin back to see him before he (Grandpa) were to pass away.  This summer the timing seemed perfect.  There was nothing Dan and I wanted more than to bring his precious Grandpa peace.  You see, the truth is, Grandpa didn't know us well, he was only trusting, assuming, believing that we were good, honest people who would take great care of Kevin.  So, Dan and I felt compelled, that not only did we want Grandpa to see Kevin again, we wanted Grandpa to be at an incredible peace with what was probably the hardest decision he's ever had to make.  We wanted to bless him abundantly!!!  We wanted Grandpa to see that his frail grandson was now 20 pounds heavier and 6 inches taller and making incredible progress!!!  So, El Salvador this August it was!!!


We had a whole week planned to visit with the staff and kids at Love and Hope and to spend a couple of days with Grandpa and to visit with the many friends I have made over my 10 years of traveling to El Salvador.

The one thing happened that hadn't even crossed my mind, even as I packed for all of my "worst case scenarios."  At 4am our first night there, Kevin seemed nauseous and uncomfortable in his sleep and so I thought I would "burp" his little feeding tube in his tummy to see if he had gas that could be making him uncomfortable.  To my surprise, blood began draining out of his stomach instead of gas. I rapidly called Dan from my Salvadoran cell phone to tell him to get on Skype ASAP and then I tried to call my driver/friend/translator from my phone, only to find out my cell phone minutes were gone!  So, I left the apartment to find the guard (everyplace is guarded 24/7 by a guard with a rifle in El Salvador) to ask him in my limited 5 words of Spanish to help me to call my driver/friend.  When the guard and I got back to the apartment, my key would not unlock the entrance door to go into the apartment! Before I knew it, I had two guards with big rifles using a large butter knife trying to pry my door open and there I am playing charades with them trying to explain that "mi nino," making what I figured was the universal sign for throwing up, was having an "emergencia." Wow...what a sight...what an adventure!!!  I did get back in the apartment and my driver/friend came over quickly to be there with me.  Before I knew it, Dan had our new plane flights home to Cleveland, Ohio scheduled for an 11:40am departure from San Salvador.  As you can imagine...it was one of those moments, unless you are way holier than me, when you look up and ask God "really?"  Kevin has a history of GI bleeds that we can't seem to get under control or figured out, but he hadn't bled since May.  When he did bleed in May he was admitted at Rainbow Babies and Children's for 10 days...so one thing I wasn't questioning was that I HAD to get back on U.S. soil - even if it was just to Atlanta! I did not want to end up in the hospital in El Salvador.


Although I still have NO idea why our trip was literally 24 hours in El Salvador, praise God, in His goodness, we visited Love and Hope for one hour the day we got to  El Salvador.  The kids were so excited to see him.  They shouted out Kevin's favorite song "Alabare a mi Senor" after we got through the front gate.  A lot of them said how big he was, how fat he was, and they carried him around the home.

The kids watched and waited for Kevin
to arrive through the gate!
  

Kevin and one of his primary caregivers, Tia Larissa

Kevin and Rachel, the founder of Love and Hope Children's Home

The kids sang and clapped Kevin's favorite, familiar song
"Alabare a mi Senor"

Even in the midst of chaos and repacking the next early morning. Rachel, the founder of Love and Hope, picked up Kevin's Grandpa, as well as one of Kevin's one on one caregivers, Tia Mila, he had while living at Love and Hope, to come see him.  Kevin's Grandfather is a man of few words and speaks very gently.  Tears filled his eyes as he saw and held Kevin.  He had a big smile across his face the 1 hour and 45 minutes that he had with Kevin.  My heart was torn, confused, sad, and frustrated while his Grandpa had exactly what Dan and I had been hoping and praying that he would have....peace.  He didn't seem the least bit anxious or sad that he only had such an abbreviated time with Kevin.  He was taking in each and every second with him...enjoying all that Kevin can do and all that he has become this past year and a half.  God blessed Grandpa with peace.  This faithful man was reaping the benefits of unwavering trust - trust that compelled him to say good bye to Kevin and entrust his care to others .  He did it once at Love and Hope Children's Home and he did it with Dan and me a year and a half ago.

As the day progressed, there was a moment when that peace flooded my heart too.  When I finally realized that even though we had 8 days of fun planned in El Salvador, in  our 24 hours we accomplished the two most important reasons for being there!  So, I thank God that we got back onto U.S. soil and Kevin was fine!!!  The bleed had resolved on it's own.  God blessed us with a beautiful trip back to Kevin's original home, his culture, his family, and one of my favorite places in the whole wide world with some of the greatest people whom I know.

This is a story of God's grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, and His love for the orphan and "the least of these."

Our Familia!!

Many Blessings!

Christine

Ladies, please join me and the rest of The Mom Squad on Saturday September 20th...

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